The Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) wants to hire a civil engineering firm to help design new bridges for the S.R. 528 and S.R. 436 interchange north of Orlando International Airport, and widening of S.R. 528 east of the airport, according to a Request for Letters of Interest (RFLI) issued on Tuesday.

Built in 1981 as a partial cloverleaf, the S.R. 528 (Beachline Expressway) and S.R. 436 (S. Semoran Boulevard) interchange serves as the primary access to the airport on its north side.

A direct connect flyover ramp from westbound S.R. 528 to the airport's access road (Jeff Fuqua Boulevard) was added in 2006, and since then the bridges of the initial interchange have begun showing signs of deck cracking during their regular inspections, according to a study completed earlier this month by Dewberry's Orlando office.

Total replacement of the three 1981 bridges is now required, and CFX has decided to address deficiencies of the interchange area by eliminating the loop ramp from the airport's northbound exit to westbound S.R. 528, improving the angle of the eastbound off-ramp to northbound S.R. 436, adding an eastbound auxiliary lane between the S.R. 436 and Goldenrod Road interchanges, and widening S.R. 528 to at least six lanes.

Estimated construction cost for all the road and bridge improvements is more than $51.38 million.

Shortlist consideration will only be given to firms that have been pre-qualified by the Florida Department of Transportation to perform controlled access highway design and minor bridge design.

The engineering consultant would be tasked with final design and preparation of construction drawings for the proposed S.R 528 and S.R. 436 interchange improvements, and S.R. 528 widening.

Atlantic Aviation is pursuing construction permits to build its third private aircraft hangar west of Orlando International Airport, a projected $5 million investment driven by growing airport traffic and larger jets entering the market, the company's area general manager told GrowthSpotter.

Atlantic...

Specifically, the project calls for demolition of the existing bridges at the southbound S.R. 436 bridge over S.R. 528, the southbound S.R. 436 bridge over Ramp M, and the northbound S.R. 436 bridge over S.R. 528.

The proposed improvements will be built in phases in order to maintain traffic on S.R. 528 and S.R. 436, and access to the airport at all times. Nightly road closures are likely for demolition of the existing bridges and construction of new ones.

Letters of interest are due by July 10 at 1:30 p.m.

Full documents for Project no. 528-143, Contract no. 001314, can be found through the CFX Procurement Division's Bid Notices webpage.